Fav 5 Travel Guides are a short list of the best things I've found to do, see, eat, or drink in a particular location. This guide is for Dublin, the city in Ireland. Last week I did a Fav 5 {Travel Guide} for several other parts of Ireland which is useful if you're exploring around the island/country. Look no further for more on International Travel or Fav 5 Travel Guides within the US. After spending several days road tripping around Ireland we returned the rental car (gladly, AMEN!) and settled into Dublin for the weekend. Ireland's capitol is a wonderful place to visit. We were in town specifically for a Penn State football game so the city was overrun by Nittany Lions, our schools' mascot and my specific breed of human! While the bars were FILLED with Penn Staters we managed to get some proper Irish adventures in between the pep rally, American football game, and visits to the pubs amongst other alumni at Temple Bar. Ireland is the inspiration for the second Figs and Flights {event}. The celebration of Irish Hospitality will take place on Friday, May 17 at our favorite Irish pub in Seattle, Shawn O'Donnell's. My favorite 5 places and experiences in Dublin, Ireland are:
1. Trinity CollegeTrinity College, also called the College of Dublin, is located right in the middle of the city. I loved it for two reasons. We lived there during our visit to Dublin. Trinity College is where we stayed for our visit to Dublin. Yes, you can live on campus instead of staying in a hotel. I was very hesitant to cancel our hotel reservation to stay on a college campus but the experience was wonderful. We liked it so much we stayed on campus again, in Barcelona this February. I'll tell you why... We stayed in the nicest campus apartment I'd ever seen, complete with high ceilings, a comfy queen bed, a kitchen, and a living room. We were in a little pod of three bedrooms that shared two bathrooms and our bedroom doors all locked. The campus was so gorgeous and the accommodations were great, certainly nothing like my experience of living in a dorm room! Breakfast in the campus dining hall was included with the price of our stay. I can't tell you how fun it was to wake up on campus and swing by the dining hall for breakfast before spending your days exploring Dublin. Did you catch the part where our rental car was happily returned at the beginning of our time in Dublin? I was relieved and happy to be carless and carefree for the remainder of our days in Ireland, spent in Dublin. You can see the rooms and availability directly on the Trinity College website and on Booking.com. It was much cheaper than a hotel, breakfast was delicious and hearty, and staying on campus was fun and felt so safe. The on campus attractions. The Book of Kells & Old Library are both located onsite at the Trinity College campus. I'd heard of the Book of Kells before our visit but didn't quite know exactly what it was. We bought the ticket and stood in line to see the very old and very fancy artifact which is a 9th century manuscript that documents, in Latin, the four Gospels and the life of Jesus. A few sections of the book are displayed at a time seeing the time and artistry that was put into the historic text is impressive. Was it interesting? Yes. Did seeing the Book of Kells light my soul on fire? No. What I LOVED, didn't expect to experience, and will always remember is the Old Library at Trinity College. It's a book worm's dream, a long and symmetrical two story library filled with old books and sliding ladders. I've noticed photos of the Old Library as the background of so many bookish quotes. I've never seen such a majestic library before or since. 2. Kilmainham Gaol (Jail)Perhaps a library or a college campus don't sound like your idea of fun. Maybe you'd instead enjoy a day in jail? As silly as it feels to purchase a ticket and wait in line to get into a jail, we did it! The Kilmainham Gaol (Jail) Museum is such an interesting way to spend a few hours learning about Ireland's history and most famous inmates. Walking through the different rooms, wards, and cells of a jail is always a humbling experience. If you've been to another jail, like Alcatraz in San Francisco, you know the odd feeling of walking freely through a space that was meant for the total opposite. In addition to learning about the way the jail and it's inmates ebbed and flowed with the times in Ireland's history, the parts of the visit that I remember most are the chapel that prisoners would visit before they faced the death penalty and, of course, learning what they chose for their very last meal on earth. 3. The Brazen HeadThe Brazen Head is Ireland's Oldest Pub, dating back to 1198. We followed a friend's Dad, marching through the rain, to the Brazen Head and promptly got the party started! The pub is adorable, historic, and lively. It's the perfect place to kick-off your time in Dublin. You can't miss visiting this Dublin staple. On our last night in town we visited The Brazen Head again for their event: an evening of Food, Folklore, and Fairies. It was a great night filled with storytelling, live music, dinner, and Irish history. I only wish we'd done it earlier in the trip so that we could know sooner what we knew later. 4. GuinnessI'm sure that I don't need to tell you to enjoy a Guinness (or several) when you get to Ireland! I do recommend that you visit the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, buying your ticket in advance. Doing so will save you money, time spent in line, and you'll get a free pint of Guinness at the end of your tour! The ticket will allow you to visit all 7 floors of the Guinness Storehouse before enjoying your free pint and the amazing view of the city from the bar atop the whole place. It's a really fun way to spend an afternoon in Dublin! Now, please know that I am not a beer drinker. I enjoyed the ceremonial first-Guinness at the bar inside the factory but didn't plan to drink many others. BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE. A kind and gorgeous bartender encouraged me to try a Guinness with black currant liqueur and it changed the whole Ireland experience for me. The sweet, fruity addition of black currant to the dark beer is most similar to the flavors and fizz in a cherry Coke. The liqueur makes the beer refreshing and so drinkable. If you think you don't like Guinness in the US, give it a try in Ireland. If that still doesn't do the trick for you, add black currant and send me a thank you note! 5. JamesonLast but not least, you can't visit Dublin without a visit to the other famous distillery, Jameson Irish Whiskey. This place was the #1 priority for my husband for our Dublin during our visit. On our very last day in town we visited the Jameson Distillery on Bow Street. Bryce got his prized bottle of whiskey that's only sold there and we bought tickets to take the tour later on in the day. To be honest with you I had no interest in taking this tour or trying Jameson, I just went because my husband was dying to go. I did not know what was in store for me! I am here to tell you what I learned far too late into my trip to Ireland and Dublin: Jameson Irish Whiskey with ginger ale and lime is AMAZING. I waited until the end of the tour (did I mention it was on the last day of our trip?) to try this combination and I immediately wanted to re-do the entire week in Ireland with my new favorite drink! I don't like or drink any other whiskey or brown liquor, but Jameson and ginger ale is my favorite. It's smooth, refreshing, and delicious. Fast forward to now, four years later, and Bryce and I still both enjoy this favorite cocktail. We got a dog last year who chose his own name when he lapped up one of our Jameson drinks during our name-the-dog brainstorming session! Go to Ireland, try the drinks! Similar Posts
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What is Figs and Flights?A blog fueled by food and travel, Figs and Flights is a resource for curious travelers, foodies, yogis & book worms
Hello, I'm AngelaI'm a food obsessed blogger and world traveler Let's Connect.Search Here:Most Popular PostsMost Popular VideosMost Popular Recipes
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